Macbeth

Shakespeare’s play about a Scottish nobleman and his wife who murder their king for his throne charts the extremes of ambition and guilt. First staged in 1606, Macbeth’s three witches and other dark imagery have entered our collective imagination. Read Macbeth here, with side-by-side No Fear translations into modern English.

Act 1

Scene 1
Three witches appear out of a storm. They make plans to meet after the battle to confront Macbeth.

Scene 2
Macbeth and Banquo fought with great courage in recent battles. King Duncan of Scotland receives a report that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor has been defeated, and decides to give Cawdor's title to Macbeth.

Scene 3
The three witches prophesize that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, and that Banquo will have sons who are kings. Shortly after, Macbeth is indeed given the title Thane of Cawdor.

Scene 4
Duncan welcomes Macbeth and Banquo and tells them that he plans to make Malcolm his heir to the throne. Macbeth realizes he cannot become king as long as Malcolm is around.

Scene 5
Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' prophecies, and she worries Macbeth won't take the steps necessary to make himself king. Duncan is coming to spend the night at the castle, so she plots Duncan's death.

Scene 6
Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan to the castle.

Scene 7
Macbeth has second thoughts about murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth berates Macbeth for his cowardice, and convinces him to go through with the plan, which is to frame Duncan's chamberlains for his murder.

Act 2

Scene 1
Banquo and Fleance walk the halls of Macbeth’s castle at night. Macbeth has a vision of a dagger in the air before him. Macbeth heads to Duncan's bedchamber.

Scene 2
Macbeth returns to Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth plants the murder weapons in Duncan's bedchamber to frame the chamberlains.

Scene 3
Macduff discovers Duncan's murder, along with the murder of the two chamberlains, who Macbeth claims he killed upon realizing they murdered Duncan. Duncan’s sons flee the country.

Scene 4
Macduff tells Ross that Macbeth is going to be crowned as the next king, and that he suspects Duncan's sons are guilty of the murder because they fled the country.

Act 3

Scene 1
Macbeth worries that if the witches’ prophecies continue to come true, Banquo’s children will overthrow him and take the throne. Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance.

Scene 2
Macbeth advises Lady Macbeth to be kind to Banquo at the evening’s feast, so that Banquo might be lured into a false sense of security.

Scene 3
The murderers ambush Banquo and Fleance at night. Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes.

Scene 4
At a royal feast, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost and becomes so frightened that Lady Macbeth clears everyone else from the room. Macbeth needs to talk to the witches again to learn more about his future.

Scene 5
The witches meet with Hecate, who counsels them to summon spirits and visions that fill Macbeth with a false sense of security when he comes to see them.

Scene 6
Lennox learns that Macduff has gone to England to meet with Duncan’s son Malcolm and to ask the King of England for help.

Act 4

Scene 1
Macbeth meets again with the three witches who provide comforting prophecies. One says that Macbeth cannot be killed by any man who is born of a woman, while another says that he will be safe until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill.

Scene 2
Lady Macduff is frustrated over her husband’s decision to leave the country. A group of murderers arrive, killing Macduff’s son and chasing after Lady Macduff.

Scene 3
Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty to Scotland. Ross arrives with news that things have gone badly since Macbeth took charge, and that Macduff’s family has been murdered.

Act 5

Scene 1
As she sleepwalks, Lady Macbeth bemoans the murders of Lady Macduff and Banquo. She speaks of blood on her hands that can never be washed away.

Scene 2
A group of Scottish lords head toward Macbeth's castle. Macbeth makes military preparations.

Scene 3
In his castle, Macbeth boasts that he does not fear the approaching English army because he believes that the witches’ prophecies ensure that he will not be overthrown or killed.

Scene 4
At Birnam Wood, the English forces cut a tree branch for each of the soldiers to help camouflage their numbers as they approach the castle.

Scene 5
Macbeth learns that Lady Macbeth is dead. He then learns that the "trees" of Birnam Wood are advancing toward Dunsinane, and he realizes that the prophecies are coming true.

Scene 6
Outside the castle, the battle commences. Malcolm orders the English soldiers to draw their swords.

Scene 7
Macbeth strikes those around him vigorously. He slays Siward’s son and disappears into the fray.

Scene 8
Macbeth fights Macduff and learns that Macduff was delivered by cesarean section, meaning that he was not born of a woman. Macduff kills Macbeth and proclaims Malcolm the King of Scotland.

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